What to read...? - DPChallenge Forums

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09/03/2007 01:08:21 PM · #27

I read a lot of action/adventure type fiction...
Anything by Clive Cussler (kind of James Bond meets Indiana Jones underwater).
Anything by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Matthew Reilly, James Rollins, Jeff Long, Steve Berry, Dan Brown...
For something a little off beat try Neil Gaiman (American Gods and Neverwhere especially), Christopher Moore (Lamb is my favorite of his) or Tim Dorsey (Florida Roadkill, Hammerhead Ranch Motel and others - best to read his in the order they were written).

Rebecca

Nikon D80

09/03/2007 01:16:42 PM · #28

My first answer to this question is always The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon. Freaking excellent book, destined to be one of our generation's classics, up there with Faulkner and Hemingway. This book blew me away - and I'm a trained fiction writer. It's simply brilliant.

Salamander by Thomas Wharton and The Chess Garden by Brooks Hansen are both neat.

Also have to agree witb

wavelength, Tad Williams is surprisingly good for a fantasy writer. Most writers in that genre tend to put fantasy first and good writing second, but Williams is actually a good writer who just happens to dabble in fantasy. (I think The River of Blue Fire dragged on much too long, but the rest of the series is really neat.)

Message edited by author 2007-09-03 13:19:48.

Azrifel

Fujifilm X100VI

09/03/2007 01:21:05 PM · #29

"Anna Karenina" and "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy. Will keep you busy for at least half a year and both are great books.
Have yet to buy it, but it was highly recommended to me: "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

Blue Moon

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Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

09/03/2007 01:26:24 PM · #30

The entire Harry Potter series...that should keep you busy :D
have you read Catcher in the Rye, No Exit, or The Stranger? I'm a sucker for existentialism ...tee hee

Message edited by author 2007-09-03 13:28:53.

jrdawson

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

09/03/2007 01:28:28 PM · #31

I agree on Tad Williams, I agree on Life of Pi, and I would also suggest reading some of Jack London's short stories. Amazing stuff.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

09/03/2007 01:33:19 PM · #32

Originally posted by jrdawson:

... I would also suggest reading some of Jack London's short stories. Amazing stuff.

Jack London -- free e-texts at Project Gutenberg.

Matthew

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Peleng 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye MC In M42 Mount

09/03/2007 02:07:25 PM · #33

Originally posted by Azrifel:

Have yet to buy it, but it was highly recommended to me: "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

I read "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky very recently - a stunning book for its timeless insight into the human mind - but it is a bit of a classic, so may not be what the OP wanted.

I would recommend

1984 by George Orwell (timeless, effortless to read)

Any book by Kazuo Ishiguro.

The Handmaiden's Tale by Margaret Atwood (or most other books by her - she is a female author whose books are noted as being enthralling to men).

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09/03/2007 02:27:11 PM · #34

'American Gods', 'Neverwhere' by Neil Gaiman

'Sea of Trolls' by Nancy Farmer

'The Giver' by Lois Lowery

'I Strahd', 'Jonathan Barret - Gentleman Vampire' by P.N. Elrod

'Argon', 'Eldest' by Christopher Paolini

'The Pendragon series' by D.J. MacHale

'The Life and Death of Superman' by Rodger Stern

lunachicken

Nikon D90

09/03/2007 02:39:48 PM · #35

Originally posted by littlegett:

Second the Neil Gaiman books, or any of his others ;)

Atropos

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09/03/2007 02:42:13 PM · #36

Well, this should keep the OP busy for about four years.

_eug

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09/03/2007 10:51:55 PM · #37

Originally posted by Redneck:

4) Battlefield Earth, Robert A. Heinlein. If you saw the movie, donâ��t for a second think this is what the book is about.

I agree with The Hitchhikers Trilogy, not in my top 10 or even 20, but a fun read all the same.

Dude! Battlefield Earth is one of my favorites too, but it was by L. Ron Hubbard of Dianetics/Scientology fame and the extremely disappointing movie starred John Travolta, also of Scientology fame.

Message edited by author 2007-09-03 22:56:27.

GeneralE

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Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

09/03/2007 11:55:11 PM · #38

Originally posted by littlegett:

'Sea of Trolls' by Nancy Farmer

I was waiting for soemone to post a photography-related title ... ;-)

fotomann_forever

09/03/2007 11:56:13 PM · #39

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by littlegett:
'Sea of Trolls' by Nancy Farmer

I was waiting for soemone to post a photography-related title ... ;-)

LMAO!

Man_Called_Horse

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

09/03/2007 11:59:23 PM · #40

Should call this thread the "Library Desk".

wavelength

Nikon D300

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

09/04/2007 12:04:13 AM · #41

Originally posted by littlegett:

'Argon', 'Eldest' by Christopher Paolini

I think you mean Eragon. Good reads, both. Similar to Harry Potter in pace and easy readability.

JeffDay

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

09/04/2007 12:06:26 AM · #42

The River Why or anything by David James Duncan.

Oooh I forgot, Into the Wild by John Krakauer. Sean Penn is turning this into a movie. Great book, especially if you are 17.

Message edited by author 2007-09-04 00:08:57.

09/04/2007 12:11:37 AM · #43

Originally posted by wavelength:

Originally posted by littlegett:

'Argon', 'Eldest' by Christopher Paolini

I think you mean Eragon. Good reads, both. Similar to Harry Potter in pace and easy readability.

yeah that too... I even looked at it before I typed.. I just suck that bad at spelling L()L .

angelfire

09/04/2007 01:02:07 AM · #44

I don't know if it's been sugested but this is one of my favorite authors. Orson Scott Card if you've never read him begin with Ender's Game. It's a series but it's increadable.

Ender's Game
Speaker for the Dead
Xenocide
Children of the Mind
Ender's Shadow

Message edited by author 2007-09-04 01:08:03.

angelfire

09/04/2007 01:05:09 AM · #45

Originally posted by Atropos:

If short stories aren't for you... The Husband by Dean Koontz is great. The Taking by Dean Koontz is great.

These were both great reads. I stayed up and read The Husband in one night. The Taking in two, I had to work or it would've been one.

09/04/2007 01:11:20 AM · #46

Originally posted by angelfire:

Originally posted by Atropos:

If short stories aren't for you... The Husband by Dean Koontz is great. The Taking by Dean Koontz is great.

These were both great reads. I stayed up and read The Husband in one night. The Taking in two, I had to work or it would've been one.

Well just about anything by Dean R. Koontz is great,
Twilight,
The Bad Place,
Powder,
Fear Nothing,
Seize the Night,
Frankenstein Book One: Prodigal Son,
Frankenstein Book Two: City of Night,
I am waiting for book three to be released...,
Midnight 1989 Putnam/Berkley Berkley
Lightning 1988 Putnam/Berkley Berkley
Oddkins 1988 Warner OP
Watcher,
Strangers,
The Door to December,
Darkfall,
Phantoms,
Whispers,
The Voice of the Night,
The Key to Midnight,
The Vision,
FACE OF FEAR,
Night Chills,

yeah, im a fan L()L

angelfire

09/04/2007 01:19:00 AM · #47

Since we are talking about reading let me know what you all think of this. I used to have horrible dreams and always wrote them down and now I'm putting them together in a story. How long its going to be I'm not sure, but please give me some feedback on the opening. I really want to know if it captures you. From reading it do you want more. Thanks!

Dancing among the flowers
Inhaling their perfume
Wondering what powers
We could assume.

Death sees his angels
Dancing away
He cries out in anguish
And dies today.

Love heard her singing
Her woven song
And fell into the puddle
She wept along.

Hate couldnâ��t bare it
Couldnâ��t be anymore
The sorrow he felt
Took away the allure.

Dancing among the flowers
Inhaling their perfume
Dieing from their touch
Living in doom.

She felt the eyes. They were watching, always watching. Many times she tried to run from them. Now, exhausted and frightened, she stood in her place. The eyes could find her no matter where she ran. She collapsed on the sand beneath her. She couldnâ��t remember running near a beach. The sand confused her, the fear heightened. â��Where am I?â�� she wondered. Grabbing a handful she hoped she could just see those eyes and throw the sand in them. But she never saw them, only felt their nearness.

Sitting fully she drew her legs up and put her head on her knees. She wept from fear, she wept from frustration, and she wept from the sheer exhaustion. She heard a deep laugh from a distance.

â��Poor little angel lost her way. Donâ��t worry the Devil is coming to claim you.â��

A chill ran down her spine settling in her stomach. She quickly got to her knees and was floored by a force of sickness. She braced herself with her hands on the sand till the wave passed. Shakily she stood and began to move forward. The laughter was getting close; the eyes were piercing her to the point of burning pain. She felt it. It wanted her body, it wanted her soul, and it would devour her if she didnâ��t run. Gathering what strength she had, she ran.

A door, of all things to find in the midnight of sand there was a door. She ran to it and turned the knob, but it was locked. Delirious she started screaming and banging on the door. She had to get in. She had to or she dies. Loosing what was left of her she collapsed to the floor and still hitting the door, but loosing the strength behind the hits, she began sobbing. The kind of sobs of surrender, of knowing it was going to end soon.

â��Come to me angel. Let the Devil claim you as his. Surrender to me.â��

â��Come on Laney. Let me in!â�� Dana was getting tired of banging on the door, one more second and she was calling the cops. She heard the screams and knew they were Laney's. She resumed banging, hoping to get through the door.

Laney woke up and found herself in the corner of her bedroom; the bead bag that normally resided in that corner didnâ��t survive the onslaught of her nightmares. Slowly she regained her control and realized the banging was someone at her door. She detangled herself from her sheets, a bit too scared to move from her spot. Gathering herself together and pulling a steel bat from under her bed she went to see who it was.

Dana saw the fear was still there when Laney answered. â��You going to let me in? Or would you rather hit me with your bat?â�� Laney moved aside to let Dana in but quickly latched the door back. â��Rough night?â�� Dana asked. â��You could say that.â�� Laney leaned the bat on the door frame and went to sit on the couch. She folded herself, tucking her head between her legs trying to calm down and rid herself of the nausea that refused to leave.

Message edited by author 2007-09-04 01:21:58.

tfarrell23

Sony DSC-F828

09/04/2007 01:22:33 AM · #48

Cormac McCarthy